The Opening Ritual For Rune Magick In important ritual work the vitki may wish to recite a

The Opening Ritual For Rune Magick
In important ritual work the vitki may wish to recite an invocatory GALDER into wich the hammer rite may be incorporated. Such a GALDR would serve to invoke devine forces or simply act as a general invocation to the runic powers, or both. The knowledgeable vitki will compose his or her own rite and GALDR, for this would be a great deed of runecraft! Note how the hammer rite is interwoven into this example:
1. Standing in the middle of the VE, face north or east, in the STADHA and intone:
Fare now forth
mighty Fimbultyr "The Awesome God"
from heavenly homes all eight
Sleipnir be saddled,
hither swiftly to ride:
Galdrsfadhir, "The Father of Incantation" might to give and gain.
Holy rune-might flow
from the hoves of Hangatyr's, "The God of the Hanged", steed;
in streams of steadfast strength -
through staves of stalwart standing!
2. Go to the northern (or eastern) rim of the VE and with the wand trace the circle in the direction of the sun, from left to right. During this process sing:
The rune-might is drawn
'round the holy-stead,
unwanted wights wend away!
3. When the circle is complete return to the center and facing the original direction, perform the rune-ring portion of the hammer rite.
THE HAMMER RITE
This example is written in a northward orientation, and appropriate changes of course should be made in the order of GALDRAR in rites of an eastward orientation.
a) With the rune wand in the right hand, face the North Star.
b) Beginning with FEHU in the north sign and send the runes of the futhark in a ring around you at the lavel of the solar plexus as far out as the circle on the ground or floor, always "with the sun" in a clockwise direction. The runes should form a complete band ending with OTHALA next to FEHU in the north.
c) Stand in the cross STADHA and visualize an equilateral cross lying horizontally in the plane of the rune ring and your solar plexus, with that point as the center of the cross. The arms of this cross should end at the points where they intersect the rune band. Imagine a surrounding sphere of shimmering blue light with the red rune band as its equator. then visualize the vertical axis coming through your length from the infinite space above and from the infinite space below.
d) Feel and see the force flowing into your centre from all six directions as it builds a sphere of glowing red might. The colour may be altered depending on the ritual intension (see section on colour symbolism).
When this is complete say:
The worrisome wights
now wend their way
eastward toward etin-home;
hallowed be the hall of Hroptatyr, "The God of Hidden Things"
with the help of Hrungnir's slayer! "Thorr"
4. Now perform the rest of the hammer rite.
e) The vitki should touch the hinder part of the wand to the breast at the center of power and thrust it forward, projecting the force from that center to a point on the inside face of the outer sphere. Then the runester should sign the hammer from the mass of magical might. During this process intone:
Hammer in the North hallow and hold this holy-stead!
Then, turning 90 degrees to the right, send and sign another hammer sign vibrating.
Hammer in the East hallow and hold this holy-stead!
In the South:
Hammer in the South hallow and hold this holy-stead!
And in the West:
Hammer in the West hallow and hold this holy-stead!
Returning to the north, direct your attention overhead, there send and sign the HAMARSMARK on the "ceiling" of the sphere, saying:
Hammer over me hallow and hold this holy-stead!
And then project the hammer sign below the "floor" of the sphere (not the ground or room floor) and intone:
Hammer under me hallow and hold this holy-stead!
f) Now, strike the cross STADHA again and sing:
Hammer hallow and hold this holy-stead!
Turning in the center of the VE, repeat this once for each of the other four directions and once for the vertical axis. The visual effect should be one of axes connecting all six shinning red hammers to your personal center, all engulfed by a field of sparkling deep blue light and surrounded by a band of bright red runes.
g) Finnally, center all the forces of the VE by folding your arms from the cross STADHA in toward your center, with your fingertips touching at the solar plexus, and saying:
Around me and in me Asgardhr and Midhgardhr!
5. After which, if the ritual calls for a brazier, the fire should be enkindled. If the vitki knows it, and the ritual needs it, this fire may be enkindled by the need-fire friction method; but normally, the runester will light the fire-pot with a previously prepared flame. Also necessary at this juncture are containers of salt and brewer's yeast; a pinch of each should be added to the flame at the point indicated in the GALDR. Lighting the brazier, sing:
Endless light of life
give thy living gift
fill the night of need;
to the hearth of this hall
bring thy boon so bright
to quicken this salt (add salt)
and yeast (add yeast) all so cold
together live long and well
in the hearts of Har's, "The High One's", sib.
6. Once the fire-pot is enkindled, the vitki also may add leaves, thin strips of wood from trees, or herbs that correspond to the intention of the rite to be preformed. The body of the magical ritual may now begin in a "loaded" atmosphere.